- 2 days ago
I Was Dumped at My Own Birthday Dinner — The Man Who Comforted Me Ran the Mafia
"I was dumped at my own birthday dinner — but the man who comforted me had a secret: he ran the mafia. A gripping short story of heartbreak, danger, and unexpected connection."
"I was dumped at my own birthday dinner — but the man who comforted me had a secret: he ran the mafia. A gripping short story of heartbreak, danger, and unexpected connection."
Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00I was dumped at my own birthday dinner. The man who comforted me ran the mafia.
00:05Before we begin, make sure to hit that subscribe button, tap the bell so you never miss a story,
00:11and if you love emotional, confessional tales like this one, leave a like. It helps this channel grow
00:16and brings you more stories straight from the heart. Now, lean in close, because what I'm
00:22about to tell you isn't just a story. It's my secret, and it all began on the night I thought
00:28love had abandoned me forever. I'll never forget the taste of that night. The sting of betrayal
00:36doesn't fade easily, especially when it happens under the glow of birthday candles, in front of
00:41people you thought were your friends. I was 27. The restaurant was small but fancy, the kind of
00:47place you have to book weeks in advance with low lighting and polished wine glasses that caught
00:52the flicker of the flames. My friends laughed, clinked glasses, and snapped pictures, pretending
00:57this was the happiest night of my life. But it wasn't. Because he, James, my boyfriend
01:03of three years, the man I thought I was going to marry, leaned across the table with that
01:07calm, cruel look and said the words that still ring in my ears,
01:11I can't do this anymore. We're done. I swear, my chest hollowed out in that moment. My stomach
01:18dropped so fast I thought I might throw up the cake I hadn't even touched yet.
01:21What? I whispered, my voice cracking, though everyone else went dead silent.
01:28James didn't blink, didn't hesitate. He just shrugged like I was an old sweater he'd outgrown.
01:34You're too much, Rachel. Too emotional. I need... something easier.
01:40And just like that, I was dumped. On my birthday. In front of everyone. The room blurred.
01:46Faces turned away. Some people muttered excuses and left early, uncomfortable with the public
01:52unraveling of my life. I remember laughing, this ugly, hollow laugh that didn't sound like me at
01:58all. Wow, I said, trying to choke back tears. Happy birthday to me. James stood, tossed his napkin
02:07onto the table, and walked out like I was nothing. Like three years were nothing. And that's when I saw
02:13him. At the bar, half-shadowed under the dim lights, a man sat watching. Not with pity. No,
02:21that would have made me run. He looked at me like he saw past the mascara streaks,
02:26past the humiliation. His gaze was steady. Dangerous, even. But it didn't scare me.
02:34He raised his glass slightly, like a silent toast, and for a second, I couldn't breathe.
02:39His suit was too sharp for this restaurant, tailored to a body built for more than business
02:43meetings. His hands were steady, resting on the bar. But his eyes? They didn't waver.
02:50Deep brown, flecked with something darker. Something unspoken. I should have looked away.
02:57Should have curled into myself and disappeared. But something about him rooted me to the spot.
03:02After James left, after the whispers died down, I stumbled toward the bathroom, just needing to
03:09escape. When I came out, he was standing there, waiting.
03:15Rough night, he said, voice low, smooth, threaded with something that felt like velvet and steel at
03:22the same time. I swallowed, embarrassed but too numb to care.
03:26You could say that. He studied me. Not like I was broken, but like he was... curious.
03:36You don't deserve that, he murmured, being humiliated like that.
03:41The words cut deeper because they felt true. And before I could stop myself, I whispered back,
03:47You don't even know me. He tilted his head, eyes burning into mine.
03:52Not yet. There was a silence then, the kind that wraps around you, makes you lean closer just to
03:59hear what comes next. And I swear to you, listener, in that silence, something shifted.
04:06I didn't know his name. Didn't know why a stranger in an expensive suit cared enough to stand there,
04:13anchoring me when I felt like I was drowning. But I knew this. The way he looked at me that night,
04:18it wasn't pity. It was promise. I should have walked away, should have thanked him and gone
04:25home to cry into my pillow. But instead, I let him follow me out of that restaurant.
04:31Instead, I let temptation win. Because sometimes the worst night of your life
04:37is the night fate decides to intervene. And fate, in my case, wore a suit, carried a scar across his
04:43jaw and was about to change everything. I hadn't realized yet who he was. That the man who comforted
04:50me at my lowest moment ran the mafia. I used to think heartbreak was something you built immunity
04:55to. Like if you'd had your heart broken once, the next time it happened, it would hurt less.
05:01As if your chest had already been cracked open before, and scar tissue would make you stronger.
05:06But sitting there in the back of a cab that smelled faintly of stale cigarettes,
05:10with mascara still burning my eyes, I realized I was wrong. Heartbreak never dulls. It just finds
05:17new places inside you to bruise. The stranger from the restaurant sat beside me, silent, his hand
05:23resting casually on his knee like he hadn't just stepped into the mess of my life. I could feel the
05:29weight of his presence, though. Like he filled every inch of space without trying. I didn't even know
05:35his name. But when the cab pulled up in front of my apartment building, and I fumbled for my wallet,
05:41he stopped me with a quiet word. I've got it. I wanted to argue. Pride is a stubborn thing.
05:49But the look in his eyes made me pause. Not arrogant. Not transactional. Just final. I let him pay.
05:56And I hated how safe it made me feel. Growing up, safe wasn't a word I knew well. My dad left when
06:04I was 12. My mom, she tried, but grief turned her into a ghost that walked through the house.
06:11By 15, I was raising myself, cooking my own dinners, lying to teachers about why my homework wasn't done,
06:18pretending I didn't hear the way my mom cried behind the bathroom door. So yeah, maybe I'd always been
06:23chasing love. Searching for it in the wrong places. James had seemed stable at first. Dependable.
06:29The kind of man who texted good morning and paid for dates and remembered my favorite wine.
06:34But slowly, his steadiness turned into control. His compliments became criticisms wrapped in silk.
06:41Do you really need another slice? That dress is a little much, don't you think?
06:47God, Rachel, you're too sensitive. And I believed him.
06:51Because when you've spent your life being left behind, you cling to anyone who stays,
06:57even if their staying feels like drowning. So when he dumped me at my birthday dinner,
07:02it wasn't just the end of a relationship. It was confirmation of every ugly fear I'd ever carried.
07:08That I was too much, too emotional, too easy to leave. Which is why the man beside me that night felt
07:14different. He walked me up to my door without asking. He didn't crowd me, didn't try to touch me.
07:22He just stood there, his eyes sharp in the dim glow of the streetlight.
07:26You shouldn't let people treat you like that, he said quietly. I laughed bitterly. Yeah, well,
07:35maybe I deserved it. The way his jaw clenched made my heart stutter. Don't ever say that again.
07:42It wasn't a suggestion. It was an order. The kind of command that should have scared me.
07:46But it didn't. Instead, it sent a shiver racing down my spine,
07:51like he was protecting a piece of me I didn't even think was worth guarding.
07:55Why do you care? I whispered. His eyes softened, just a flicker, almost hidden.
08:01Because you don't. I swear I stopped breathing. That night, after he left me standing in my doorway
08:07with my heart pounding like it wanted out of my chest, I couldn't sleep. His words kept replaying,
08:13circling through my head like a secret I wasn't ready to face. Because he was right. I didn't care
08:19about myself. Not really. I had learned to shrink, to apologize, to hold myself small so no one else
08:27would have to. But the way he looked at me? It was like he saw every broken piece and didn't flinch.
08:34I told myself I'd never see him again. That he was just a strange, fleeting kindness in the wreckage
08:40of a birthday I wanted to erase. But fate doesn't work that way, does it? The very next week I saw him
08:47again. Not in some coffee shop or at the grocery store like fate usually operates in movies.
08:52No. I saw him on the street, surrounded by men who moved with the kind of precision and silence
08:58that made the hairs on my neck rise. Expensive cars idled at the curb. And he, in that same sharp suit,
09:05hands tucked into his pockets like the world belonged to him, stopped when he saw me.
09:09Our eyes met and the crowd around him seemed to blur. He smirked, just barely, and nodded once.
09:17Like he'd expected this. Like he'd been waiting. And I knew, right then, with my heart trying to
09:23tear its way out of my chest. This man was not like anyone I had ever met before. And that terrified me.
09:30Because I could already feel the gravity pulling me in. I didn't know his name yet. But I knew one thing.
09:35Whoever he was, he could ruin me. Or save me. I used to think sparks were overrated. People talked
09:43about them like fireworks. Like you'd lock eyes with someone and suddenly the world would tilt.
09:48And music would start playing in the background. But sparks? Sparks always burned out. That's what
09:55I believed. Until him. It was a Wednesday afternoon when fate decided to mock me again.
10:01I was sitting in a cafe with my laptop open. Pretending to work, but really just scrolling
10:06through job listings I wasn't brave enough to apply for. My heart still felt raw. Stitched
10:12together poorly from that disastrous birthday. But at least coffee made the silence easier to swallow.
10:18Then the bell over the door chimed. And there he was. The man from the restaurant. The man who had
10:24walked me to my door like I was worth something. The man who told me not to say I deserved the pain I'd been
10:30handed. I froze, my hand tightening around my mug. He didn't belong in a cozy neighborhood cafe.
10:37He was too sharp for this place. Like a blade hidden in velvet. And yet, when his gaze swept the room
10:43and landed on me, I swear my body forgot how to function. His lips curved just slightly before he
10:50walked over. Rachel. My name in his mouth. How did he even know it? I blinked. How? He sat across from
11:00me before I could finish, unbothered, like the seat had always belonged to him. I asked the waiter last
11:07time, you left your card behind when you paid. I felt my cheeks heat. So you just kept my name?
11:15His eyes locked onto mine. Names matter. I tried to look away, but it was like staring into fire.
11:24Dangerous. Hypnotic. And yours? I asked softly. He leaned back, casual but calculated,
11:32like he was deciding whether or not I'd earned it. Then he said it. Adrian. Adrian. A name that felt
11:41heavy in my chest, like it carried stories I wasn't ready to hear. We talked. God, I didn't
11:48mean to, but words spilled out of me like I'd been holding them back for years. Adrian didn't speak
11:54much, but when he did, every syllable mattered. He asked questions no one else ever bothered with.
12:01What did you want to be when you were a kid? Why do you apologize so much? What are you most
12:06afraid of losing? And I answered. Honestly. Brutally. My walls didn't just crack around him.
12:14They collapsed. I wanted to be a writer, I admitted, staring at my chipped nail polish.
12:20But life got in the way. He tilted his head. Life or fear? My throat tightened. No one had ever
12:30called me out like that. Both, I whispered. He didn't smirk. Didn't mock. Just nodded,
12:37like the truth was enough. Hours slipped by. I hadn't laughed in weeks. But Adrian made me laugh
12:44with a dry comment about the couple arguing at the next table. He noticed things. How I stirred my
12:50coffee three times before drinking. How my fingers trembled when I got passionate about a story.
12:54It was like he'd been studying me since the night we met. When the cafe closed, he walked me outside.
13:02The evening air was cool, laced with the scent of rain. I hesitated at the curb, clutching my bag,
13:08not ready to let go of whatever this was. And maybe he saw that, because Adrian stepped closer,
13:15not too close, just enough that I could feel his heat, his presence threading through my pulse.
13:20You're different, he said quietly. My breath caught. Different how? His gaze held mine, steady,
13:30unflinching. You make me forget I'm supposed to stay away. My heart thundered. Stay away? Why?
13:40His lips curved, not a smile, but something darker. Because I'm not the kind of man you invite into
13:45your life. Silence stretched between us, heavy with something neither of us dared name. I should
13:52have stepped back, should have let him walk away. But instead, I whispered, maybe I don't want the
13:58safe kind of man. His eyes burned into mine, and before I could second-guess, his hand brushed against
14:05mine. Just a graze. But it was enough to send a rush through me so sharp I nearly gasped. The first
14:12spark, and it lit everything on fire. He leaned in, close enough that I felt his breath on my cheek.
14:19Careful, Rachel, he murmured. If I touch you, I won't want to let go.
14:24And I, reckless and broken and aching for something real, whispered back,
14:29then don't. And that's when he kissed me. The kind of kiss that rewrites you. The kind of kiss that
14:36makes you forget you were ever unloved. But I didn't know then, that Adrian wasn't just a man.
14:42He was the man the city whispered about in shadows. The man who ran the mafia. You ever notice how the
14:48quietest hours feel the loudest? Like when the world outside finally shuts up, your heart has no choice
14:54but to scream? That's what those nights with Adrian were like. The world fell away, and all I could hear
15:01was him. After that first kiss, things didn't just shift. They detonated. They... I told myself it was
15:09just a moment. A mistake fueled by heartbreak and loneliness. But when he pressed me against that
15:14rain-slick brick wall, his mouth claiming mine with the kind of hunger that felt like it had been
15:19waiting for years, God, I didn't want it to end. He kissed me like he knew all the places I'd been
15:25starved of love. Like he wanted to prove I was wrong about myself. Wrong about being unworthy.
15:31And when we finally broke apart, my lips swollen, my breath shaking, I whispered the only thing I
15:37could manage. What are you doing to me? His forehead pressed against mine, his voice low,
15:44rough. Exactly what you're doing to me. After that, he became a habit I couldn't quit.
15:50Dinners that turned into midnight walks. Conversations that lasted until dawn.
15:55Kisses that left me trembling long after he was gone.
15:58Adrian wasn't like anyone I'd ever known. He didn't fill silences with empty words.
16:04He let me talk. And when I did, he listened. Really listened. Like every thought of mine mattered.
16:11And when I couldn't talk, when the weight of my past pressed too hard on my chest,
16:16he'd just sit there with me. Quiet. Solid. His hand brushing mine like a promise.
16:22You're not alone anymore. But the silence worked both ways. Because for all the questions he asked
16:29me, for all the truths he pulled out of me like threads from an old sweater, Adrian rarely gave
16:35anything back. When I asked what he did for work, he'd smirk. Business. When I asked why he always had
16:42men trailing a few steps behind him on the street, he'd shrug. Protection. And when I asked about the
16:50faint scar along his jaw, the one I wanted to trace with my lips, his eyes went cold. Old story.
16:57That was it. No details. No past. Just silence. One night, we were sprawled across his leather couch,
17:05the city lights bleeding through the tall windows of his apartment. It was the kind of place that
17:10didn't belong to men with ordinary jobs. Floor-to-ceiling glass. Marble counters.
17:15Artwork that probably cost more than my rent. I curled up beside him, wearing his shirt,
17:21my hair still damp from the shower. He was nursing a glass of whiskey, his arm draped over the back of
17:26the couch. Casual but watchful. Always watchful. You don't sleep much, do you? I asked, breaking the
17:35quiet. His lips twitched. Sleep is for men who don't have enemies. I laughed softly, not sure if he was
17:43joking, but the weight in his tone told me he wasn't. Adrian, what aren't you telling me? He turned
17:50his head, those dark eyes pinning me in place. Do you really want to know? My heart tripped. Did I?
17:59Because part of me already knew. The suits, the cars, the men. The danger in the way people's eyes
18:04flickered away when he walked into a room. Yes, I whispered, though my voice trembled. His jaw
18:10tightened. He set the glass down, leaned forward, and for the first time since I'd met him, he looked
18:17conflicted. Some truths don't set you free, Rachel. Some truths chain you to me. And once you know mine,
18:26there's no going back. The room went cold. My pulse thundered.
18:30Then tell me, I said anyway, because God helped me, I was already chained.
18:37But he didn't. Not that night. Instead, he kissed me until I forgot my own name.
18:43The secrets hung between us after that. They lived in the silences, in the half-answers,
18:48in the way his phone would buzz at 3 a.m., and he'd step out onto the balcony,
18:52murmuring things too low for me to hear. And I let it go. Because I was addicted to the way he made me
18:58feel when he looked at me like I wasn't disposable, like I wasn't someone who could
19:02be abandoned at a birthday dinner table. But deep down, I knew. I knew love like this came
19:09with a cost. The first time I saw him lose his temper, I understood just how high that cost
19:14might be. We were at a quiet Italian restaurant, one he said was family-owned, though the staff
19:19greeted him like he was royalty. We were halfway through pasta when a man at the next table,
19:24drunk and sloppy, muttered something about me. Something filthy. I froze, my fork clattering
19:29against the plate. Adrian didn't. He stood, calm as ever, and walked to the man's table.
19:36I expected him to yell, to shove, to threaten. Instead, he leaned down, whispered something in
19:43the man's ear, and I swear, all the color drained from the guy's face. He stumbled up,
19:49apologized to me with a stammer, and left the restaurant without looking back.
19:54When Adrian sat down again, his expression was unreadable.
19:58What did you say to him? I whispered. He sipped his wine. Enough. But the look in his eyes wasn't
20:05calm. It was lethal. And in that moment, I realized, Adrian wasn't just a man who could
20:12protect me. He was a man other people feared. That night, lying in his bed, listening to the
20:19steady rhythm of his breathing beside me, I knew I should have been afraid. And I was. Not of him.
20:27But of how much I already loved him. Because loving Adrian felt like standing barefoot on broken glass,
20:33thrilling, intoxicating, and guaranteed to bleed me dry.
20:37You ever notice how love feels invincible at first? Like nothing outside the two of you can
20:46touch it. But that's the lie. Because love doesn't live in a vacuum. It lives in the mess
20:52of real life. And real life always tests it. It started with the calls. Adrian's phone buzzed
20:59constantly, always at odd hours. He'd silence it with a flick of his thumb, murmur something about
21:04business, and step out of the room. At first, I pretended not to notice. But it was impossible
21:10not to. One night, I finally asked, Who keeps calling you? He looked at me across the kitchen
21:17counter, his hands resting on the edge like stone pillars. It's work, Rachel. Nothing you need to
21:23worry about. I hated that answer. You always say that. Do you have any idea how it feels,
21:32knowing you're hiding things from me? His eyes darkened. And do you have any idea how it feels,
21:39knowing if I tell you the truth, I might lose you? That shut me up. Because deep down,
21:46I wasn't sure if he was wrong. Then came the distance. There were days Adrian would vanish.
21:54No calls. No texts. Nothing. My chest would hollow out with worry, my mind inventing every possible
22:01nightmare. And when he finally returned, sometimes with bruised knuckles or a stiffness in his
22:07shoulders he wouldn't explain, he'd kiss me until I couldn't think straight, like he was trying to
22:12erase the questions with heat. But the questions never really went away. The breaking point came at
22:17a party. A friend of mine from college, Melissa, invited me to her engagement celebration. I hesitated
22:24to bring Adrian. He didn't fit with my old life, and I wasn't sure if I wanted those two worlds to
22:29collide, but he insisted. The second we walked in, every head turned. Adrian didn't need to announce
22:35himself. He carried an aura that demanded attention. People whispered. Melissa's fiancé gave
22:41him a look that was half fear, half recognition. And then James was there. Yes, that James. The ex who
22:49humiliated me on my birthday. He smirked when he saw me. Then his eyes landed on Adrian, and for the
22:55first time ever, I saw James pale. Rachel, he said smoothly, though his voice wavered, didn't expect to
23:03see you here. I folded my arms, forcing strength into my voice. Neither did I. James chuckled, that
23:11same condescending sound that used to cut me in half. Well, I hope you've moved on from the mess you
23:18were. Guessing this guy's just a rebound? Adrian didn't say a word. He just stepped forward. So
23:25close, James had to tilt his head back to meet his eyes. Apologize, Adrian said, his voice like steel
23:32wrapped in velvet. James scoffed. Excuse me? Apologize to her? Now. The room went dead silent.
23:41James sputtered, but then Adrian leaned in, whispering something I couldn't hear. Whatever it was drained the
23:47color from James's face. He muttered a shaky sorry before retreating like a coward. My chest burned.
23:55Part anger, part pride, part terror. Later that night, when we were alone, I snapped.
24:01You can't just threaten people like that, Adrian's jaw flexed. You think he deserved to walk away after
24:07the way he treated you? After humiliating you? It's not about what he deserves. It's about you.
24:14About how you handle things. You scared him, Adrian. You scared me. His voice softened,
24:21but the intensity never left. Rachel, I will always protect you. Even if it means becoming the monster
24:29you think I am. My throat tightened. That's the problem. I don't know who you really are.
24:36The silence between us that night was louder than any fight. For days we barely spoke. I kept
24:43replaying his words. Monster. Protect me from what? From who? Part of me wanted to run, to slam the door
24:51and never look back. But another part, the broken, desperate part, couldn't. Because for all his
24:59darkness, Adrian was the first man who ever made me feel like I mattered. And that kind of love isn't easy
25:05to let go of. One night, I finally broke. I can't do this halfway, Adrian, I said, tears threatening to
25:14spill. Either you let me in or I walk away. I won't be another secret in your life. His eyes locked on
25:21mine, hard, unreadable. And if the truth destroys you? If loving me means losing everything you thought
25:28you knew, then at least I'll know it was real. The silence stretched, thick, unbearable. His fists
25:36clenched at his sides. For a second, I thought he might let me walk out. But instead, he whispered,
25:43tomorrow, I'll show you. But once I do, there's no undoing it. I didn't sleep that night. Because
25:51tomorrow wasn't just a promise. It was a threat. And I had no idea if our love was strong enough to
25:57survive it. There's a particular kind of silence that feels like standing on the edge of a cliff.
26:05That's what tomorrow felt like. All day, my chest was tight, my stomach in knots. Adrian hadn't called,
26:12hadn't texted. Just silence. By the time he finally showed up outside my apartment that night,
26:19black car, black suit, expression carved from stone, I wasn't sure if I wanted to climb into the
26:25passenger seat or slam the door in his face. But when his eyes met mine, I knew I would go.
26:30The drive was quiet. Too quiet. City lights flickered against the tinted windows, but Adrian
26:37didn't say a word. His jaw was clenched, his hands gripping the wheel like he was holding himself
26:42together by sheer force. Finally, I whispered, where are we going? He didn't look at me. You said you
26:51wanted the truth. Tonight you'll get it. My pulse thundered. Truth suddenly felt like a blade I wasn't
26:58ready to touch. He drove us to the docks, the kind of place that only existed in crime shows and
27:04nightmares. Rows of warehouses loomed in the shadows, the air thick with salt and oil. When he parked,
27:11men appeared from the darkness. Big, broad men in suits, each one armed, their eyes flicking between
27:17me and Adrian with cold efficiency. I froze, fingers gripping the seatbelt. Adrian, what is this?
27:26He turned to me finally, his eyes softer than the setting deserved. The truth. He got out. My legs
27:34felt like lead. But I followed. Because what else could I do? Inside the warehouse, it all came crashing
27:41down. Stacks of crates, tables covered in files, cash, and weapons, men moving with military precision.
27:50And at the center of it all? Adrian. The men looked at him like he was gravity itself,
27:56the force that held them together. One of them approached. Boss, the shipment came in clean.
28:04Boss. The word slammed into me. My breath hitched. I looked at Adrian, my voice barely a whisper.
28:12Boss? He held my gaze, unflinching. I run this city, Rachel. The streets. The docks. The men who
28:19walk these halls. They answer to me. My chest tightened until it hurt. You. You're. He didn't
28:29let me finish. Yes. I'm the man your world warns you about. The one they whisper about in shadows.
28:35The one your ex was smart enough to fear. I stumbled back, shaking my head. No. No, you
28:44can't. You're not. Adrian stepped closer, his voice steady but raw. I told you the truth
28:50would chain you to me. This is who I am. This is the world I live in. And now, it's the
28:57world you're standing into. My throat closed. My chest felt like it was caving in.
29:03You lied to me, I whispered. His jaw tightened. I protected you. Protected me? By what? Dragging
29:15me into this? By making me fall in love with someone who kills for a living? The words slipped
29:21out before I could stop them. And then it was out there. The truth I hadn't admitted even
29:26to myself. I was in love with him. Adrian froze. His eyes burned, but his voice stayed
29:33low. Dangerous. Don't you dare throw that word at me like it's an accusation. You think
29:39I don't know I'm not good enough for you? You think I don't wake up every day knowing I
29:43could destroy you just by letting you love me? My chest cracked. Then why let me, Adrian?
29:49Why didn't you just let me walk away? His voice broke then, raw, unguarded. Because I couldn't.
29:57Because the night I saw you. Broken. Bleeding from the inside out. Still standing in that
30:03damn restaurant. I saw something I couldn't turn away from. I saw you. And I wanted you.
30:10Even if wanting you was the most dangerous thing I've ever done. Tears blurred my vision.
30:16My heart was splitting down the middle. I don't know if I can do this, I whispered. I don't know
30:22if I can love someone who lives in the dark like this. Adrian's face twisted, pain and fury warring
30:29in his eyes. He reached for me, then stopped himself, fists clenching at his sides. Then say
30:35the word, Rachel. Say you're done and I'll walk away. I'll let you go. But if you stay, you're mine.
30:41All of you. Forever. The warehouse went silent. Just the hum of the city in the distance,
30:48the pounding of my own heart, and Adrian's words hanging in the air like a noose.
30:53I opened my mouth to speak. To choose between love and survival. Light and darkness. But before I
30:59could, gunshots shattered the night. The gunshots tore through the night like thunder. Men scattered,
31:10shouting orders, drawing weapons. The warehouse became a storm. Metal clanging, bullets ripping
31:15the air. Adrian's hand was on me instantly. Down! He pushed me behind a stack of crates just as glass
31:22shattered above us. My ears rang, my heart hammering so hard I couldn't breathe. I grabbed his sleeve,
31:28trembling. Adrian, what's happening? His jaw was tight, eyes scanning the chaos. An ambush. They
31:37found us. More gunfire. The smell of gunpowder filled the air, acrid and heavy. My body curled in on
31:44itself, shaking. But Adrian knelt in front of me, cupping my face with rough, trembling hands.
31:50Listen to me. No matter what happens, you keep your head down. You don't move until I come back for you.
31:55You understand? Tears burned my eyes. Don't you dare. Don't you dare leave me. His voice broke.
32:05I'll always come back for you. And then he was gone, into the storm of bullets and shadows.
32:12Minutes blurred into forever. Every sound made me flinch. The crash of crates, the bark of orders,
32:18the crack of gunfire. I pressed my fists to my mouth to keep from screaming his name.
32:25My mind replayed every word he'd said, every moment we'd shared. The way he held me like I was
32:31something fragile in his calloused hands. The way his eyes softened only for me. What if I'd lost him
32:38before I even had the chance to choose him? Finally, silence fell. A tense, heavy silence.
32:44Then, footsteps. My breath caught. My body shook so hard I thought I might collapse. And then,
32:53he appeared. Adrian. Bruised, blood on his knuckles, his shirt torn, but alive. Alive.
33:00I sobbed, throwing myself into his arms before he could say a word. He crushed me against him,
33:05burying his face in my hair, his chest heaving. I thought—my voice broke. I thought you weren't
33:11coming back. He pulled back just enough to look at me, his eyes fierce, wet, unflinching.
33:18Rachel, I will always come back for you. You're the only thing in this life worth coming back to.
33:24We didn't leave the warehouse right away. His men cleared the scene, the danger receding into the
33:30shadows. But inside that small space between us, time stopped. I touched his face, tracing the
33:37bruises, the sharp lines of pain and exhaustion. Why me, Adrian? You could have anyone. Why risk
33:44everything for me? He caught my wrist gently, pressing his lips to the inside of my palm.
33:51Because you make me want to be more than this, more than blood and violence and shadows. You make
33:56me want to live. And I don't even know how to do that without you. The rawness in his voice broke
34:02something in me. I was so sure I couldn't survive you, I whispered. But the truth is, I can't survive
34:09without you. He kissed me then. Not gentle, not hesitant, but desperate. Like a man starving. Like
34:17it was the only thing tethering him to the earth. And I kissed him back. Because for all the fear,
34:23all the chaos, all the risks, this was love. Messy, dangerous, impossible love. And it was mine.
34:32The days that followed weren't easy. Secrets still hung between us. Scars still marked our
34:37pasts. I didn't become blind to his world and he didn't ask me to. But he let me in. To the man
34:44behind the steel mask. To the broken boy who once believed love wasn't made for men like him.
34:49And slowly, I began to believe that maybe survival and love weren't opposites. Maybe they were the same
34:56thing. Fighting, holding on, refusing to let go even when the world told you it was safer to run.
35:02Do you want to know the truth? I was dumped at my own birthday dinner. Humiliated. Shattered. Left
35:09to believe I was unworthy of even the simplest kind of love. And yet, the man who comforted me that night.
35:15The man who carried me out of the fire I thought would kill me. He was the one I never expected.
35:20The one everyone would tell me to fear. The one who ran the mafia. But he also ran straight into the storm
35:27for me. He came back for me. And in the end, that was all I ever needed. I thought I'd lost him forever.
35:36But sometimes love doesn't let go. It fights back.
Recommended
1:22:52
|
Up next
1:24:10
1:24:10
0:46
2:11
2:55
Be the first to comment